Improvement in plows



J. LEE.

Wheel-Plow Patented Dec. 8, 1857.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

JOEL LEE, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

' IMPROVEMENT IN PLOWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,820, at December 8, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. JOEL LEE, of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ilows; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangement of the swiveling and adjustable wheels, and these in combination with other devices, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter described.

In order that others skilled in the art may use and manufacture my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, which make a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a bottom View of a portion of the beam, showing the connection of the swivel-wheel and its manner of swiveling.

In Fig. 1, A is the master-wheel. B is the plow. C is the beam, which is in two parts, 0 representing one of these parts. D is a lever, one end of which is attached to that portion of the beam marked G at the point it, being also attached to that portion of the beam marked (J, about a foot and a half from point It, at the point marked g. This lever D serves to depress that portion of the beam marked G, and by this means throwing the point of the plow out of the ground or regulating its depth. 0 is the seat for the driver. cl is a standard for stationing the lever D at any desired point. E is a wheel attached to that portion of the beam marked 0 by means of the arm J, said wheel E working on a swivel from a position in a line with the beam to the right and at right angles with the beam. E is a wheel attached behind the plow to that portion of the beam marked 0 by means of the arm M, said wheel E working on a swivel to the left and from a line with the beam to a position at right angles with it. Iis the tongue of the plow.

In Fig.2, A is the mastenwheel. B is the plow. G is the end of the beam. D is the end otlever. (Seen and marked the same in Fig. 1.) E is the wheel attached to the forward portion of the beam. Eis a wheel connected by arm M, near the rear of the beam,to the beam, and swivels around to the left and at right angles with the beam. L is the shaft of the master-wheel, connecting it with the beam of the plow.

In Fig. 3, C is aportion of the beam. E is the swivel-wheel, attached to it by means of arms J J. a is a button, to which arms J J are secured, said button working in a socket in the beam. 00 is a slot in the button a, and t" is a pin, attached to the beam and working in said slot, for the purpose of preventing the wheel E swiveling more than quarter around. Wheel E may be secured to the beam in like manner, or it may be so secured that the back of the mold-board will prevent its swiveling too far in one direction, while the landside or standard will prevent its swiveling too far in the other.

It will be seen that when this plow is in motion the wheels follow in line after or with the plow; but when the plow changes direction at the end of the row and turns to the landside the wheels E and E swivel around and stand at right angles with the beam, thus allowing the plow to move freely around.

It will be understood that a plow with a short landside always runs much lighter than when the landside is long, and produces a great deal of friction by rubbing against the land. Hence in my invention I shorten the landside, and to keep the plow in position and support the weight of the driver at the same time I employ the wheel E. This wheel acts, while revolving in the furrow, as a brace for the landside of the plow. The rear end of the mohtboard being long, the ground, when the plow is in motion, will have a tendency to crowd constantly toward the landsidc. Hence the necessity of having the swivel-wheel E stationary when the rear of the plow crowds to the left. The point of the plow acting as a center between the two wheels E and E, it will be seen that when the rear of the plow crowds to the left the front end of the beam must crowd to the right; but when the forward end of the beam crowds to the right wheel E acts as a stationary brace and offers great resistance. These two wheels E and E there fore act in conjunction and mutually brace and sustain the plow when the rear of the plow is crowded to the left, or when the front of the plow is crowded to the right; but when the rear is crowded to the right and the front is crowded to the left they both swivel around at 'right angles.

wheels E and E, attached to the different sections of the bean], swiveling quarter around in opposite directions. and bracing the plow, as herein described, when used in the'manner and for the purpose set forth.

JOEL LEE.

; Witnesses:

O. M. ALEXANDER,

CHARLES ALEXANDER. 

